Workmen's advocate., 1887-02-26
THE UNION LABOR PARTY.
Platform Adopted by the Cincinnati
 Labor Conference.

LHuNl toHitltHtt.
 CINCINNATI, Feb. 23. When the convention was called to order this morning by President Strectcr, it was ordered that a list of of all dele gates be furnished by each State and Territory for publication in the proceedings. The. committee on credentials made its final report. On motion of Mrs. Severance of Wisconsin the rules were suspended, and Mir. Crocker of Kansas was per mitted to explain the Oklahoma movement and to present a preamble and resolutions in regard to that matter Mr. Crocker proceeded to read preamble reciting the action of Congress with reference to the ac- quiring of that ground, its grant to the railroad company, and it's subse- quent forfeiture, and declaring that this land is now in possession of a vast chattel syndicate, by undue in- huencr in United States courts, army and other officers, and closing by resolution severely censuring the action of the present administra- tion, and demanding the passage of the now pending Oklahoma bill, and if this Congress does not pass this bill, then requesting the President to convene the next Congress in eX- tra session to pass the bill.
 The report of the committee on platform and resolutions was sub- mitted at the evening session and was read by Chairman Schilling of the committee. A lengthy preamble sets forth that the name of the party shall be the Union Labor Party. Following is the platform:
 Every human being possesses a natural inalienable right to sufficient land for self support, and we desire to secure to every industrious citizen a home as the highest result of free institutions. To this end we demand graduated land tax on all large estates, especially those held for speculative or tenant purposes; the re- clamation of all unearned land grants; the immediate opening of Oklahoma to homestead settlements; the purchase of all unoccupied Indian lands, and the settlement of the various tribes upon lands in severalty, also laws preventing corporations from acquiring real estate b1unnI tho rpnI1lrpnlpl1tE pf thnir hI,c ness and alien ownership of land. The systems of irrigation in States and Terri tories, where necessary, shall be under such public control as shall secure the free and equitable use of the waters and franchise to the people.
 The means of communication and transportation should be owned and con- trolled by the people, as is the United States postal system, and equitable rates everywhere established.
 The establishment of national mOne- tary system in the interest of the pro- ducer instead of the speculator and usurer, by which a circulating medium in necessary quantity and full legal ten der shall be issued directly to the people without the intervention of banks or loaned to citizens upon ample security at low rate of interest to relieve them from the eXtortions of usury, and enable them to control the money supply.
 Postal savings banks could be estab- lished. While we have free coinage of gold, we should have free coinage of sl- yer. We demand the prompt payment of the national debt, and condemn the further issue of interest bearing bonds, either by the national government or by States, Territories, counties or munici- palities.
 Arbitration should take the place of strikes and other injurious methods of settling labor disputes; the letting of COIL vict labor to contractors should be pro- hibited. The contract system should be abolished in public works. The hours of labor i'll industrial establishments should be reduced to a degree commensurate with the increase of production by labor saving machinery.